Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown on Proverbs
 
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown:
Proverbs Chapter 11:
 
(tap on a verse number below to return to Bridges' comments)
 
 
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Introduction to Proverbs
 
 
Verse 1:
1. A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. {A false...: Heb. Balances of deceit} {just...: Heb. perfect stone†}
 
(Compare Margin). The Hebrews used stones for weights. just--complete in measure.
 
 
Verse 2:
2. When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
 
Self-conceit is unteachable; the humble grow wise (compare Proverbs 16:18, Proverbs 18:12).
 
 
Verse 3:
3. The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.
 
guide--to lead, as a shepherd (Proverbs 6:7, Psalm 78:52). perverseness--ill-nature. destroy--with violence.
 
 
Verse 4:
4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
 
(Compare Proverbs 10:2). wrath--that is, of God.
 
 
Verse 5:
5. The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. {direct: Heb. rectify}
 
direct--or, "make plain"; wicked ways are not plain (Proverbs 13:17).
 
 
Verse 6:
6. The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.
 
deliver them--that is, from evil, which the wicked suffer by their own doings (Proverbs 5:22, Psalm 9:16).
 
 
Verse 7:
7. When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.
 
expectation . . . perish--for death cuts short all his plans (Luk 16:25). hope of unjust--better, "hope of wealth," or "power" (compare Isaiah 40:29, Hebrew). This gives an advance on the sentiment of the first clause. Even hopes of gain die with him.
 
 
Verse 8:
8. The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.
 
Perhaps the trouble prepared by the wicked, and which he inherits (compare Proverbs 11:6).
 
 
Verse 9:
9. An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
 
(Compare Psalm 35:16, Daniel 11:32). The just is saved by superior discernment.
 
 
Verses 10-11:
10. When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
11. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
 
10, 11. The last may be a reason for the first. Together, they set forth the relative moral worth of good and bad men. 11. By the blessing--implying active benevolence.
 
 
Verse 12:
12. He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace. {void...: Heb. destitute of heart}
 
despiseth--or, "reviles," a course contrasted with the prudent silence of the wise. holdeth his peace--as if neither hearing nor telling.
 
 
Verse 13:
13. A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. {A talebearer: Heb. He that walketh, being a talebearer}
 
tale-bearer--(Compare Margin), one trading as a peddler in scandal, whose propensity to talk leads him to betray confidence
 
 
Verse 14:
14. Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
 
counsel--the art of governing (Proverbs 1:5). counsellors--literally, "one giving counsel"; the participle used as a collective.
 
 
Verse 15:
15. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure. {smart: Heb. be sore broken} {suretiship: Heb. those that strike hands}
 
(Compare Proverbs 6:1). suretiship--(Compare Margin), the actors put for the action, which may be lawfully hated.
 
 
Verse 16:
16. A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.
 
retaineth--or literally, "lay hold of as a support." Honor is to a feeble woman thus as valuable as riches to men.
 
 
Verse 17:
17. The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
 
merciful--kind to others; opposed to cruel. Such benefit themselves by doing good to others (compare Proverbs 24:5), while the cruel injure themselves as well as others. flesh--that is, his body, by penuriousness (Col. 2:23).
 
 
Verse 18:
18. The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
 
a deceitful work--or, "wages," which fail to satisfy, or flee away (Proverbs 10:2, Proverbs 23:5). sure reward--or, "gain," as from trading (Hosea 10:12, Gal. 6:8-9).
 
 
Verse 19:
19. As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.
 
Inference from Proverbs 11:18 (compare Proverbs 11:5-6, Proverbs 10:16).
 
 
Verse 20:
20. They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
 
(Compare Proverbs 11:5). froward--as in Proverbs 2:15, opposed to the simplicity and purity of the upright. in their way--or, "conduct."
 
 
Verse 21:
21. Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.
 
The combined power of the wicked cannot free them from just punishment, while the unaided children of the righteous find deliverance by reason of their pious relationship (Psalm 37:25-26).
 
 
Verse 22:
22. As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without (departeth from, margin) (Chapter 7:10; 9:13) discretion.
 
Jewels were often suspended from the nose (Gen. 24:47, Isaiah 3:21). Thus adorned, a hog disgusts less than a fair and indiscreet woman.
 
 
Verse 23:
23. The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
 
(Compare Proverbs 10:28). wrath--is that of God.
 
 
Verse 24:
24. There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.†
 
24-31. The scope of the whole is a comment on Proverbs 11:23 . Thus liberality, by God's blessing, secures increase, while penuriousness, instead of expected gain, procures poverty.
 
 
Verse 25:
25. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. {liberal...: Heb. soul of blessing}
 
liberal soul--(Compare Margin). made fat--prospers (Proverbs 28:25, Deut. 32:15, Luke 6:38). watereth . . . watered--a common figure for blessing.
 
 
Verse 26:
26. He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
 
Another example of the truth of Proverbs 11:23 ; the miser loses reputation, though he saves corn. selleth it--that is at a fair price.
 
 
Verse 27:
27. He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.
 
good [and] mischief--that is, of others. procureth . . . seeketh--implying success.
 
 
Verse 28:
28. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
 
(Compare Proverbs 10:15, Psalm 49:6, 1Tim. 6:17). righteous . . . branch-- (Psalm 1:3, Jer. 17:8).
 
 
Verse 29:
29. He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.
 
troubleth--as Proverbs 15:27 explains, by greediness for gain (compare Proverbs 11:17). inherit . . . wind--Even successful, his gains are of no real value. So the fool, thus acting, either comes to poverty, or heaps up for others.
 
 
Verse 30:
30. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. {winneth: Heb. taketh}
 
a tree of life--Blessings to others proceed from the works of the righteous (Proverbs 3:18). winneth souls--(Compare Margin) to do them good as opposed to Proverbs 6:25, Eze. 13:18 (compare Luke 5:10).
 
 
Verse 31:
31.  Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.
 
Behold--Thus calling attention to the illustrations (compare Proverbs 11:23), the sentiment of which is confirmed even in time, not excluding future rewards and punishments.